Toy rocker



s. L. MACDONALD.

TOY ROCKER.

APPLICATION man FEB. 23. I921.

I 1 43 449 Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

umran sari-as STANLEY L. DIACDONALID, OF CAULFIELD, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

TOY ROCKER.

Application filed February 23, 1921. Serial, No. 447,288.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STANLEY LAYTON MAoDoNALn, a SL1b]6Ct of the King of Great Britain of Caulfield, in .the State of Vic-.

mals capable of bearing the entire weight of a child or adultand provided witha curved base or rockers so as to be capable of rocking and has been devised to provide a construction of the same whereby progression by steps may be effected.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention Fig. 1 is an elevation of the improved toy,

animal rocker with parts in section, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views to Fig. 1 illustrating the motions that cause step progression.

As illustrated the pairof curved rockers disposed one at each side of the animal are separable at 1 to form two pairs of rockers 2-3 in longitudinal alinement the former being fixed to the front legs 4: rigidly extending from the body '5 and the rockers 3 affixed to the pair of hind legs 6, the upper portions of which enter slots 7 formed in the hollow body and are mounted on a pivot 8 at a point approximately about the centre of weight. The legs are strengthened by means of metallic straps 19, which are secured to the rockers. The upper parts of the hind legs within the body are provided with pads 9 against which the interior surface of the back 10 of the body abuts when the animal backwardly tilted as in Fig. 2 thus limit ing the body movement and effecting the maximum length of stride that can be taken during each rocking movement.

Preferably also one or both of the adjacent ends of the rockers are provided with pads 11.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that when the rider rocks the animal backwards the weight is taken by the back rockers 3 and the front rockers 2 advance a prearranged distance from same and subsequently by the forward rock of the animal the weight is taken by the front rockers thus permitting the hind legs to swing forward on their common pivot 8 till the front ends of the back rockers 3 abut against the rear ends of the front rockers. i r

A. certain amount of skill is required to obtain the fullest possible progression but in order to ensure the latter a locking bar 12 is mounted on a pivot 13 in a cross bar 14.-

on the rear rockers and projects forward between the front legs and through a. slot formed in across bar 15 on the front rockers. The forward end of the locking bar is either provided with a wheel or roller 16,. and the underside of the bar near its forward end is formed with a notch or catch 17.

W'hen therefore the animal is rocked backwards as in Fig. 2 the catch engages with the edge of the guide slot 111 the-cross bar 15 when the front and back rockers are sepa rated to the fullest extent. and said cross-. bar 15, the pivot 13 and the locking bar 12, are so arranged that the forward end of the latter or its wheel 16 will project below the.

front rockers 2, when the toy is in the rocks ing position shewn in Fig. 2. When therefore the ammal 1S forwardly rocked the forward end of the locking bar or its wheel- 16 contacts with the ground thus releasing the catch and permitting the hind legs and the 1 back rockers 8, with the locking bar to move forward, and close the of rockers.

It will be understoodby the foregoing description that'the extent of progression'at each complete rocking movement is detergap between both sets mined by the distance the front rockers can separate from the back rockers, the position i of the pivot 8 and the distance between the back of the body and the top of the hind legs being determining factors. position Fig. 1 the rear ends of the front roclo ers and the catch cross bar 15 are to the rear of the vertical plane X of the pivot 8. When the animal is in the position shewn in Fig.

' 2 the catch bar 15 is in advance of the vertical plane of the pivot and when the ani- In the normal mal is tilted forward to such an extent that the catch cross bar is at the rear of the vertical plane X, the locking bar is released and the continued forward rocking movement permits the back rockers to swingforward and end abut against the front rockers.

It will be evident, that, if for amusement purpose it is desired to progressively move the toyanimal backwardly instead of forwardly the front legs will be pivoted to the body instead of the back legs.

Furthermore in order to use the article as an ordinary non-progressive toy rocker a pin 18 may be passed through the front legs and the locking bar as in Fig. 1.

1. A toy rocking device in which the rockers are separable into two sets arranged in longitudinal alinement, one being rigidly i'iXed to a projection "from one end of the body oi the toy and the other to a projection pivoted to said body, and means to temporarily hold the routers separated a distance apart during a portion of the reel ing movement.

2. A. toy animal rocking device with rockrable into two sets arranged in ionalinenient, one being fixed to the nt legs of the toy animal and the fixed to the hind legs, said hind legs being pivoted within the body, means to limit the relative rocking movement between said body and hind legs and means to temporarily hold the rockers separated a distance apart during a portion of the rocking movement.

3. A toy'animal rocking device with rock- I -ers separable into two sets arranged in lonltUCli l alinement, one being lined to the igid iiont legs on the body am the other to the hind legs, said hind legs extending up through slots in the body into a cavity therein and mounted at their upper ends on a pivot extending through the body, and abutment pads on the upperportion of said hind legs within the body.

1 ,aeeaee l. A toy animal rocking device with rockers separable into two sets one being fixed to the rigid front legs on the body and the other to the'hind legs, said hind legs extending up through slots in the body into a cavity therein and mounted at their upper ends on a pivot extending through the body, abutment pads on the upper portion of said hind legs within the body, and pivoted looking bar on the rear rockers provided with a catch adapted to temporarily engage a cross bar on the front rockers when the toy is backwardly rocked.

5. A toy animal rocking device with rockers separable into two sets one being fixed to the rigid front legs on the body and the other to the hind legs, said hind legs extending up through slots in the body into a cavity therein and mounted at their upper ends on a pivot extending through the body, abutment pads on the upper portion of said hind within the body, a longitudinal locking bar pivoted on a bar extending across the rear rockers and extending forwardly through a slot in a cross bar on the front rockers said bar havin wheel at its front end and a notched catch adapted to engage with the edge of said slot when the toy is baclnvardly rocked and be released by contact of the wheel with the ground.

Dated this eighteenth day oi": January s. L. nnononann. 

